A final judgment for the owner of a shelter for dogs in the Ostrołęka district. It involves the abuse of over 40 dogs. The court gave the woman a suspended prison sentence and banned her from owning animals. The animals were neglected, they did not have proper care, constant food and access to water.
According to the spokeswoman of the District Prosecutor's Office in Ostrołęka, Elżbieta Edyta Łukasiewicz, the final judgment in this case was issued this week. The District Court in Ostrołęka upheld the judgment of the first instance court from May.
Magdalena N., president of the management board of the Odnowa Foundation, running the so-called shelter in Gnaty (Lelis commune) was accused of abusing 44 dogs from December 2022 to February 2023. According to investigators, the woman kept them in terrible living conditions, in a state of gross neglect or sloppiness, without proper care, permanent food and access to water.
Judgment upheld
In May, the District Court in Ostrołęka found the accused guilty of the offense charged and sentenced her to six months' imprisonment with a conditional suspension of execution for a period of two years. He also banned Magdalena N. from owning any animals for a period of two years and a ban on conducting any activity related to the use of animals or influencing them, in particular involving any forms of protection and care for animals, for a period of four years.
He ordered the defendant to pay damages in the amount of PLN 2,000. PLN for the Shelter for Homeless Animals “Canis” in Kruszew.
Magdalena N. appealed against this judgment. – The appeal was heard by the District Court in Ostrołęka, which did not agree with the arguments contained in the defendant's personal appeal and upheld the contested judgment – said the spokeswoman of the prosecutor's office.
Arguments, police interventions
In February 2023, police and veterinary services entered the shelter in Gnaty. It was determined that the animals there were neglected and deprived of proper care.
The district veterinarian submitted a request to the mayor of the Lelis commune for the emergency removal of over 40 animals. The four-legged animals were taken to one of the animal protection foundations in the Ostrołęka district.
As reported by Tygodnik Ostrołęcki, the shelter was opened in August 2019 on a private plot in Gnaty by an activist of the Animal Defenders Association. According to the weekly, her initiative was not approved by the village residents. In November 2019, the Commune Office in Lelis received a petition signed by 121 residents of Gnaty. They opposed the location of the shelter in the middle of the village, between residential buildings. This led to numerous arguments and police intervention.
Main photo source: bnorbert3/AdobeStock